Yet, fundamentalists are against it. Working with stem cells involves killing a 300 cell embryo, contrast the brain of a fly has 100,000 cells.
With the technology now days, you could clone people, so it can't be potential, because if that is the reason, everything you scratched yourself you could be committing genocide.
2007-01-17 11:26:45 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Maybe. It could do a lot of damage too.
2007-01-17 11:30:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are 22 stem cell lines approved for federally-funded research in the United States. However, over 100 stem cell lines are currently in existence worldwide. To call embryonic stem cell research killing may or may not be accurate. However, it seems unreasonable to make this argument when the cells being used for research would be discarded if not used. Let's say the President vetoes this version of the stem cell bill (which is likely to happen). How is that a moral stand? The unused embryos, considered life by many, will still die, and so will the people who could benefit from the research performed on them. Is this a "culture of life?"
Yes, some embryonic stem cells developed tumors. This is a risk of the research. Yes, the "legal" stem cell lines are useful, and yes, the cord blood and amniotic fluid discoveries are exciting. But all of this together is sort of like a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle missing all the edge pieces. You can see the image, but it's not complete, and you don't truly know what it looks like.
This may sound like a "we should perform the research because we can" justification, but that's not the reasoning at all. One major problem with the existing stem cell situation is that scientists are leaving the federal government, and in some cases, the US, to do this work. This is problematic for a few reasons. First, the federal government is about the undergo a severe labor shortage in many areas, including science and technology. We need federally-funded research in this country to keep science moving. Corporations will only invest in research if some sort of financial benefit can be obtained from it. The government can perform long-term research and not worry about its effects on product sales. Government scientists are also impartial, while many scientists in industry are working towards a broad agenda set forth by the company. Second, the President and the Congress have expressed great concern over the competitiveness of the US in science and technology. Driving researchers away will not achieve that goal.
In short, if I had to advise someone on this issue, I'd say the risks are too great to not allow research on all stem cell lines. As long as a strong ban on human reproductive cloning is included in legislation, this is nothing to be afraid of or opposed to.
2007-01-18 13:47:34 · answer #2 · answered by rive_sud 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it could. However research is very long and it must be proven that it will be completely effective.
After hearing many arguments, I do believe that the cord blood bank is one of the better opportunities that is available to scientists and also the amniotic fluid is showing promise.
Yes, these things take time...but the latest is that the new congress has already settled on the new bill and are passing it, because they were pressured by their constituents to get the advantage in congress and win those seats. Now, they have to keep promises to make the current administration look stupid.
Just like the president signed into national law, the no partial birth abortions law...yet the courts are now fighting that law by looking for new precedents to establish why it is okay and it only took one liberal judge and one new case AFTER the bill was signed into law.
So, what difference does it make. The liberals who profess to love life so much, conclude that it's okay to kill embryos as well. Go figure.
2007-01-17 19:34:30 · answer #3 · answered by chole_24 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's not the only problem with opposition to stem cell research. The embryos that the stem cells would be taken from are already aborted. No one is wanting to have abortions just to harvest stem cells.
Regarding cloning people, it's not quite the way you think it is. I suspect that cloning humans is still a ways off, even if it were not illegal.
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2007-01-17 19:37:41 · answer #4 · answered by Weird Darryl 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Stem cell research is already helping people. You need to become better educated. Christians are only against embryonic stem cells. Umbilical cord cells and adult stem cells are being used already for liver disease, sickle cell anemia, spinal cord injuries, etc. There have been recent discoveries with amniotic cells. Scientists do not have to kill life in order to help life. I'm sure you are one of those people who complained about research on animals, but it's ok to research on unborn babies. You called it killing in your question. It makes no sense when there are other options that are already proven to work. Embryonic cells have caused tumors. Wow, what a benefit to society.
May God Bless you.
2007-01-17 19:36:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't understand how Prez. Bush can be so against exploring this new frontier of health & science. Every other civilized country in the world is throwing millions of dollars worth of reasearch into the stem cell issues. Recently, Congress passed a bill that would loosen US restrictions on reasearch, a bill which Bush promptly said he would veto. What ever happened to seperation between church and state?
2007-01-17 19:41:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
From what I understand it isnt proven that it can help at all. We Christians just dont want to see women lined up and farming babies just to have them aborted for this research. Life is precious. Not an inconvience.
Edit.. Oops I forgot to clear up on something. Adult Stem Cells do in fact help combat health abnormalities. Embryonic Stem cells on the other hand do not. Not a single one.
2007-01-17 19:30:49 · answer #7 · answered by Darktania 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
We don't really know. The only way to find out is to keep doing the research.
The argument that it kills potential human beings is bogus. Only embryos that would be discarded anyway are used. This means that stem cells could actually retain some life, instead of being completely destroyed.
2007-01-17 19:36:45 · answer #8 · answered by Dawn G 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
yes. According to my research, cell embroyos do in fact contrast the brain of a fly which has 100.000. I really don't see why you want to know this though.
May God Bless You.(and a happy new year!)
2007-01-17 19:55:45 · answer #9 · answered by HoBo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. And I was one of the ones in Missouri who voted for it last November. I had a grandfathter with Parkinson's disease and a father with diabetes (among other things) and I certainly think it will help people.
2007-01-17 19:44:09 · answer #10 · answered by The Doctor 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Actually an early embryo only has a couple dozen cells... Those cells are far more important than living breathing people, apparently.
2007-01-17 19:30:38 · answer #11 · answered by STFU Dude 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋